Henry Hathaway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henry Hathaway
Born	Marquis Henri Léopold de Fiennes (1898-03-13)March 13, 1898 Sacramento, California, United States
Died	February 11, 1985(1985-02-11) (aged 86) Hollywood, California, United States
Resting place	Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California
Occupation	Film director Film producer
Years active	1925–1974
Spouse(s)	Blanche "Skip" Gonzales (married 1932–1985)
Children	1

Henry Hathaway (born March 13, 1898 – died February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He was famous for directing Western movies, especially those starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He also directed the well-known actor Gary Cooper in seven films.

About Henry Hathaway

Henry Hathaway was born in Sacramento, California. His birth name was Henri Léopold de Fiennes Hathaway. His father, Rhody Hathaway, was an American actor and stage manager. His mother, Marquise Lillie de Fiennes, was a Belgian noblewoman from Hungary. She was also an actress, known as Jean Hathaway.

Henry's family came to America in the 1800s. They were involved in talks for King Leopold I of Belgium. These talks helped create a treaty between Belgium and what was then called the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) in 1862. Henry's grandfather, Marquis Henri Léopold de Fiennes, settled in San Francisco. He had tried to get the Sandwich Islands for his King, but it didn't work out.

Henry Hathaway served in the United States Army during World War I.

Starting His Film Career

In 1925, Henry Hathaway began working in the film industry. He started with silent films, helping directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. He learned how to make movies with sound alongside them. He was an assistant director for the 1925 movie Ben-Hur. This film starred Francis X. Bushman and Ramon Novarro. Throughout the rest of the 1920s, Hathaway continued as an assistant. He helped direct many famous actors. These included Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Fay Wray, and Clara Bow.

Directing His First Movies

Westerns with Randolph Scott

Henry Hathaway directed his first movie, Heritage of the Desert, in 1932. It was a Western film made at Paramount Pictures. The movie was based on a novel by Zane Grey. Hathaway gave Randolph Scott his first main role in this film. This helped Scott start his long career playing cowboys.

After this, Hathaway directed a series of Westerns starring Scott. These movies were also based on Zane Grey novels. They included Wild Horse Mesa (1932) and The Thundering Herd (1933). Other films in this series were Sunset Pass (1933) and To the Last Man (1933). He also directed Man of the Forest (1933) and The Last Round-Up (1934).

Hathaway also directed an action film set in the Philippines, Come On Marines! (1934). It starred Richard Arlen and Ida Lupino. Next, he directed a drama called The Witching Hour (1934). He also directed an early movie starring Shirley Temple, Now and Forever (1934). This film also featured Carole Lombard and Gary Cooper.

Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Action Films

Hathaway's next big film was The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935). He worked with Gary Cooper again on this movie. Hathaway got the job because the film needed a new director. Gary Cooper, who could approve directors, liked Hathaway's earlier films. The movie was a huge success. It received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Hathaway himself was nominated for Best Director for this film. This was his only Oscar nomination.

After this success, Hathaway became a top director at Paramount. He made another film with Cooper, Peter Ibbetson (1935). Then came The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936). This was his first movie made in color. He also worked on I Loved a Soldier (1936), which was never finished. He directed Mae West in Go West, Young Man (1936).

Hathaway worked with Cooper again on Souls at Sea (1937). This was an adventure story about fighting slavery. He then made Spawn of the North (1938) with George Raft and Henry Fonda.

The Real Glory (1939), also with Cooper, was another adventure film set in the Philippines. After this movie, Hathaway had a disagreement with Paramount. He then left to join 20th Century Fox.

Working at 20th Century Fox

At 20th Century Fox, Hathaway directed some of the studio's biggest stars. He worked with Tyrone Power on Johnny Apollo (1940) and Brigham Young (1940). Hathaway enjoyed working with Darryl Zanuck, the head of Fox. He said Zanuck was a great filmmaker and he never turned down a script Zanuck offered him.

He returned to Paramount briefly to direct John Wayne in The Shepherd of the Hills (1941). For producer Walter Wanger, he made another action film, Sundown (1941).

Back at Fox, he directed several more movies. These included Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) and China Girl (1942). He also made Wing and a Prayer (1944) and Nob Hill (1945).

In the 1940s, Hathaway started making films that looked like real-life documentaries. They often had a dark and mysterious style, known as film noir. Some of these films were The House on 92nd Street (1945). For this movie, he was nominated for a Best Director award. Other films included The Dark Corner (1946) and Kiss of Death (1947). He also directed Call Northside 777 (1948). In this film, Hathaway showed one of the first uses of a fax machine on screen.

Hathaway went back to directing adventure films with Down to the Sea in Ships (1949). He worked with Tyrone Power again on The Black Rose (1950). After taking some time off for a health issue, he returned to make The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951). This was a movie about the life of General Rommel.

Hathaway directed the film noir Niagara (1953). This movie was a big breakthrough for Marilyn Monroe. He also directed White Witch Doctor (1953) with Susan Hayward and Robert Mitchum. He worked with Gary Cooper again on Garden of Evil (1954), a Western. Then he directed the adventure film Prince Valiant (1954).

After The Racers (1955), Hathaway left Fox.

After Fox

Henry Hathaway made two thrillers with Van Johnson. These were The Bottom of the Bottle (1956) and 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956).

John Wayne hired Hathaway to direct Legend of the Lost (1957) for Wayne's own company. Hathaway then went back to Fox to make the Western, From Hell to Texas (1958). During the filming, actor Dennis Hopper tried to have more control over his performance. Hathaway made Hopper do a scene more than 80 times until he did it Hathaway's way. Hathaway later told Hopper that his career in Hollywood might be over. However, Hopper later said he was wrong to disrespect Hathaway. He called Hathaway "the finest director I have ever worked with." Hopper worked with Hathaway again on The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and True Grit (1969).

Hathaway then directed a drama called Woman Obsessed (1959) and a thriller, Seven Thieves (1960). He worked with John Wayne again on the comedy-action movie North to Alaska (1960).

Later Career

Hathaway was one of three directors for the Cinerama Western, How the West Was Won (1962). He directed most of the film, including scenes with rivers, prairies, and a train robbery.

He traveled to Spain to work with John Wayne again on Circus World (1964). This movie was not very successful at the box office. However, Wayne and Hathaway's next movie together, The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), was a big hit. So was Nevada Smith (1966), a Western starring Steve McQueen.

Hathaway went to Africa to make The Last Safari (1967). Then he directed the Western 5 Card Stud (1968) with Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum. This film was a mild success. But True Grit (1969) was a huge success. It won John Wayne an Oscar for Best Actor.

He helped director George Seaton by directing some outdoor winter scenes for the all-star movie Airport (1970). This film starred Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin. Hathaway did it as a favor and did not take any money.

Hathaway made a war movie with Richard Burton, Raid on Rommel (1971). He then made another Western, Shoot Out (1971). Hathaway's 65th and final film was Hangup (1974), an action movie. He decided not to direct Rooster Cogburn because he didn't like the script.

Death

Henry Hathaway died from a heart attack in 1985 in Hollywood. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. His work in films earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1638 Vine Street.

Filmography

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See also

In Spanish: Henry Hathaway para niños